Article-orienting means for labeling machines



S. T. CARTER Sept. 18, 1962 ARTICLE-ORIENTING MEANS FGR LABELING MACHINES Filed May 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. jzdi yj. J'zrzer BY (73, 4- Q ATTORNEY p 18, 1962 s. T. CARTER 3,054,496

ARTICLE-ORIENTING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed May 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IFIG.3

D Q Q I; n -171 I 1 ul II :1 QxQ Q INVENTOR N J 515W Z farzer ATTORNEY.

S. T. CARTER Sept. 18, 1962 ARTICLE-ORIENTING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 18, 1959 INVENTOR. JZZ g LZZ'a/zer BY 2 a @M ATTORNEY.

P 1962 s. T. CARTER 3,054,496

ARTICLE-ORIENTING MEANS FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed May 18, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

3,054,496 ARTICLE-ORIENTING BEANS FGR LABELING MACHINES Sidney T. Carter, Shrewsbury, Mass, assignor to Gee. J.

Meyer Manufacturing Co., Cudahy, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 814,051 19 Claims. ([11. 19833) This invention pertains to labeling machines, more especially to a labeling machine of the kind wherein the articles to be labeled (hereinafter referred to for convenience, but without intended limitation, as bottles) are moved by a conveyor along a predetermined path; and wherein the label to be applied to the article is taken from a magazine located at one side of said path and is moved into adhering contact with the article by a movable part herein referred to, for convenience but without limitation, as a grip finger located at the same side of the article path as the magazine; and wherein each article, before it reaches the labeling zone, is spotted or oriented about its vertical axis thereby accurately to present to the grip finger that particular area of the article to which the label is to be applied.

While, by far, the greater number of bottles to which labels are applied are circular in transverse section, some bottles, for instance pint whiskey flasks, are substantially elliptical in transverse section; and such bottles cannot be spotted by a common type of spotting mechanism designed to cooperate with a teardrop or small projection or similar element such as is commonly provided on the peripheral surface of a bottle of circular cross-section.

In the copending application of Sidney T. Carter, Serial No. 550,012, filed December 5, 1955, for Labeling Machine, now Patent No. 2,940,630, there is disclosed apparatus capable of applying labels to opposite faces of a bottle or flask of elliptical transverse section, and wherein the bottles are moved along the conveyor path with the narrower transverse dimension of the bottle extending transversely of the path and with grip fingers arranged at opposite sides of the conveyor path operative simultaneously to apply labels to opposite faces of the bottle, and in said apparatus there is associated, with each grip finger, a device operative, by engagement with the curved surfaces of the bottle, to turn the latter so that its major axis coincides with the center line of the conveyor path just before the grip finger applies the label. Under most circumstances the apparatus disclosed in said application is entirely satisfactory and capable of applying labels to bottles travelling along the conveyor path at a rate as high, for example, as 300 per minute. However, some users of these machines are desirous of applying labels which cover substantially the entire area of the wide face of the bottle or to apply two or more smaller labels; and under such conditions, the association of the spotting means with the grip finger may obstruct that area or a portion of the area to which the label is to be applied. The principal object of the present invention is to provide spotting means for use in a machine of the kind above referred to, and which is capable of spotting articles, which are elliptical in transverse section, in readiness for the accurate application of a label or labels, but which does not, in any way, obstruct the peripheral surface of the article so as to interfere with the application of a label or labels covering any desired portion of the peripheral surface of the article.

In machines such as that above referred to, and in particular as disclosed in the aforesaid copending application of Sidney T. Carter, it is customary to provide a socalled hold-down device which, by engagement with the top of the article, prevents the latter from turning about its own axis during the application of the label.

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in such a machine it is obviously necessary that the spotting operation take place prior to the engagement of the bottle by the hold-down device, and that the hold-down device come into operative engagement with the top of the bottle, after the latter has been spotted, before the bottle can rotate away from the position in which it has been placed by the spotting device. See also, in this connection, the patent to Carter, No. 2,911,089, dated November 3, 1956, which issued upon application Serial No. 738,427, filed May 28, 1958. A further object of the present invention is to provide spotting means so arranged and located, with respect to the field of action of the hold-down device, as to complete the spotting operation before the hold-down device comes into contact with the bottle top, and which delivers the bottle, after it has once been spotted and before it can turn, into the control of the hold-down device.

In machines of the above type, wherein articles are moved along a predetermined path by conveyor means through the field of operation of the label-applying devices, it is necessary that successive articles be spaced apart accurately from one another a distance suificieut to enable the labeling mechanism, after applying a label to one bottle, to receive another label from the magazine, coat it with gum, and in a very short interval of time to advance it into a position such that the grip finger may apply the label to the next successive bottle. To accomplish this result, it is customary to employ some sort of spacing device whereby the artices, although they approach the labeling machine in contacting relation, are separated and properly spaced as they advance toward the labeling apparatus to enable the label-applying means to function. A further object of the present invention is to provide article-spacing means capable of receiving articles which arrive in contacting relation and of spacing them accurately to the desired distance apart, and wherein the spacing means not only spaces the articles but, at the same time, accurately spots them and delivers them in spotted position to the hold-down device.

In accordance with the present invention, the bottles are spaced apart by the action of two oppositely turning helices each having a portion, at least, of its length which is of increasing pitch, and these helices are so devised as not only to space the bottles, but also as cams to spot or turn them as the bottles advance toward the field of action of the hold-down device. In order to accomplish this latter result, the threads of the helices comprise portions wherein the walls of the grooves are so shaped that the opposed helices collectively provide a four-point contact wtih the peripheral surface of the bottle, the points of contact being symmetrically arranged with reference to the center line of the conveyor path so that a bottle of elliptical shape is turned, by the camming action of the helices, to place its major axis in coincidence with the vertical plane of the center line of the conveyor path. However, to accomplish this desired result, the bottle must be closely confined between the helices in order that this four-point contact may be effective for accurately positioning the bottle. 0n the other hand, the bottle must be released from the pressure of the helices immediately after the hold-down device has engaged the top of the properly spotted bottle. A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement whereby, at the instant at which the hold-down device operatively contacts the top of the bottle, the pressure of the helices upon the bottle is relieved.

Because the above described four-point contact for positioning the bottle is made by the threads of the two helices, it follows that the two opposite points of contact at the advancing end of the bottle are at a difierent level from the two opposite points of contact at the trailing end of the bottle; and from this it may result that there will be a tendency to tip the bottle as it is advanced by the helices. A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing such tipping of the bottle, this being accomplished, in accordance with the present invention, by the use of springs which frictionally engage the neck portion of the bottle as the latter advances, and which thereby oppose any tendency of the bottle to tip.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following, more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, showing so much of a labeling machine of the general type above referred to as is required to illustrate the spacing and spotting means of the present invention;

FIG. 1a is a fragmentary plan view showing portions of the opposite helices whereby the spotting of an elliptical article is accomplished;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing a portion of the machine frame and one of the helix-supporting shafts with the bearings in which it turns;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing both of the helix-supporting shafts and illustrating, in horizontal section, the bearings employed at opposite ends of the shafts;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation showing one of two bear- 'ing supporting brackets which appear at the left-hand side of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diametrical section, to larger scale, showing one of the bearing bushings which is employed at the left-hand end of each of the helix-supporting shafts;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation, looking from the right-hand side of FIG. 1, and illustrating one of the bearing supporting brackets which is shown at the righthand side of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary Side elevation, to larger scale, showing one of the helix-supporting shafts;

FIG. 8 is an end elevation of the shaft of FIG. 7, looking toward the left-hand end of the latter;

FIG. 9 is an end elevation of the shaft of FIG. 7, looking from the right-hand end of the latter;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation showing, in broken lines, the delivery end portion of one of the helices and also a portion of a hold-down device which engages the tops of the bottles, and a bottle-steadying spring contacting the neck portion of a bottle which has just been engaged by the hold-down device; and

FIG. 11 is an end elevation showing the parts illustrated in FIG. 10.

As above suggested, the present invention may be embodied in a labeling machine of the general type disclosed in the copending application of Sidney T. Carter, Serial No. 551,012, filed December 5, 1955, for Labeling Machine. Referring to the drawings, the character T (FIG. 2) may represent the correspondingly designated table of the machine of said copending application. As shown in FIG. 2, this table carries brackets D which support horizontal plates P and P at a suitable elevation above the table T. Desirably, these plates are so mounted on the brackets, as by bolt and slot connections (FIG. 3), as to permit them to be moved toward or fro-m each other. Bearing brackets 20, 21 and a, 21a are carried by these plates and support bearings for the parallel, helixsupporting shafts 22 and 23 (FIG. 3), respectively, which carry the helices F and F. Preferably, these helices are tubular, with internal bores which receive the respective shafts with a close fit. It thus becomes possible to make the helix in several independent sections, which is advantageous from the manufacturing standpoint. These helices are alike, except that they are of opposite pitch,

each helix comprising an article-receiving portion (indicated in FIG. 1 by the bracket I) of a constant pitch which is substantially equal to or slightly in excess of the length of the major axis of such an elliptical bottle as is shown at B, FIG. 1, it being preferable to make the pitch 4 slightly greater than the length of the major axis of a normal bottle so as to accommodate bottles which are accidentally somewhat over-sized. Each helix also comprises the portion (indicated by the bracket II, FIG. 1) which is of increasing pitch such as to space successive bottles the desired distance apart for the proper application of the labels, and a delivery portion (indicated by the bracket III) which is of a constant pitch such as to advance the bottles, at the same speed as the conveyor upon which the bottles are supported as they are advanced into the field of action of the labeling means. If, as above suggested, the portions I, II, and [III of the helix are independent sections, they will be placed end-to-end on the shaft and pinned to the shaft when properly adjusted.

The shafts 22 and 23 are driven at the same angular velocity, but in opposite directions, by any suitable means, for example, such as that which is used for driving parallel helices as shown in the copending application of Sidney T. Carter, Serial No. 636,328, filed January 25, 1957, for Apparatus For Arranging Like Articles In Uniformly Spaced Relation. However, any other appropriate drive means may be employed, with the understanding that any such drive means must be capable of turning the shafts at such angular velocities that, at the delivery end portions of the helices, the linear velocity imparted to the bottle will equal that of the supporting conveyor, and desirably with provision for accurate adjustment. As here shown, the drive means for the shafts comprises sprocket wheels 24 and 25 fixed to the left-hand ends of the respective shafts, as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the bearing brackets 20 and 21, respectively, which support the ends of the shafts which are adjacent to the drive sprockets, has a foot 20x (FIG. 1) which receives bolts for attaching it to the corresponding plate P or P and an upstanding portion integral with a cylindrical sleeve 20y (FIG. 3). Within each of these sleeves there is fitted a bushing 26 (FIGS. 3 and 5) which is taper-reamed from each end so that the shaft which turnsin this bushing is permitted to have a slight rocking motion about that portion of the bushing which is of the minimum internal diameter.

The opposite or right-hand ends of the shafts 22 and 23 turn in bearings carried by brackets 20a and 21a (FIG. 3)

' having foot portions 27x which are bolted to the plates P and P, respectively. Each of these brackets 20a and 21a is provided with a guideway in which may slide horizontally a bearing supporting block like the block 29 (FIG. 6), this block being restrained in its horizontal sliding movement by a bolt 36) whose inner end is screw-threaded into a bore in the block and whose outer portion slides in a guideway in the bracket. A spring 31 (FIG. 3) urges each bearing block inwardly toward the conveyor path, such inward motion being limited by the con-tact of the head 32 of the bolt 3%) with the outer surface of the bracket.

One of the helix-carrying shafts is shown in greater detail in FIG. 7, this shaft, for example, being the shaft 22, it being understood that the shafts 22 and 23 are alike. This shaft 22 comprises a central portion 33 (FIG. 7) of an external diameter appropriate to receive the tubular helix, the tubular helix being pinned to the shaft after having been properly adjusted with respect to the latter. The end portions 34 and 35 of each shaft are of smaller diameter than the central portion 33 and designed to turn in the bearings carried by the brackets at the opposite ends of the shaft; The shaft 22, as shown in FIG. 7, is provided with a terminal portion 36 of smaller diameter than the part 34- which turns in the'bearing, this terminal portion being designed to receive the tubular hub 24a (FIG. 3) of the driving sprocket 24 and having a screwthreaded portion which receives a nut 37 by means of which the sprocket may be fixed in properly adjusted position upon the shaft. The opposite end portion 35 of the shaft turns in a bushing 35x (FIG. 3) which is fixed in a bore in the block 29. Beyond the portion 35, which turns in'the bearing, the shaft is slabbed off at its opposite sides, as shown at 38, to provide a flattened portion for the reception of a wrench for use in manually turning the shaft for adjustment purposes.

As may be seen by inspection of FIG. 7, the portions 34 and 35 of the shaft are eccentric with reference to the central portion 33 which carries the helix, the eccentricity of the portion 35 exceeding that of the portion 34. Because of the tapered bushing 26 in which the part 34 of the shaft turns, and because of the slidable block 29 which carries the bushing in which the end portion 35 of the shaft turns, the latter end of the shaft has a horizon tal component of motion in and out toward the conveyor path as the shaft rotates. An eccentricity of the extreme right-hand end of the shaft of the order of /8 of an inch has been found to produce the desired results.

In setting up the apparatus, the helices, which are tubular, are first fitted onto the central portions of their respective shafts, :and the shafts are mounted in their bearings, and then the shafts are turned manually until their right-hand ends are at their nearest points of approach. Then the helices are pinned to the shafts.

As above pointed out, that portion of each helix, indicated by the bracket I, is of constant pitch; the portion indicated by the bracket II is of increasing pitch; while the portion indicated by the bracket III is of constant pitch. The root diameter of the helix is the same throughout its length. However, the portion indicated by the bracket III, and desirably immedately following the portion of increasing pitch, the groove of the helix is so narrowed and of such shape, as indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 1a, that, when the right-hand ends of the two shafts are at their nearest point of approach horizontally, a bottle B, interposed between these portions of the helices, will be held tightly between the two helices, making a four-point contact as indicated at T T T and T (FIG. la). At all other portions of the helices, the shape of the screw thread is such as to provide such clearance between the bottle and the opposed helices that the bottle is free to turn slightly about its vertical axis. The total axial length of that portion of the screw thread which is of the shape to produce a result such as illustrated in FIG. 1a is approximately equal, measured lengthwise of the conveyor path, to the distance between the lines O-O and KK (FIG. la) (through the pairs of opposite contact points) plus the length of the major axis of the bottle. Thus, as indicated in the broken lines, the bottle first contacts the wall of the portion of the groove at M (FIG. la) and leaves the part of the groove at N (FIG.

While, in FIG. 1a, the four points of contact of the bottle with the two helices are shown as in the same plane, it will be appreciated that, in the actual device, because the points of contact are on the surface of a helix, the points T and T (FIG. 1a) are actually above the horizontal plane of the axis of the two helices, while the points T and T are below said plane. Because of this, there is a tendency for the bottle to lean forwardly so that its vertical axis is inclined, as indicated, for example, by the broken lines EF (FIG. 10). To prevent such tipping of the bottle, provision is made, in accordance with the present invention, for exerting a frictional drag against the opposite sides of the bottle neck while the bottle is in engagement with this part of the helix. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the bearing brackets 2% and 21a support vertically adjustable posts 4%) and 41, each provided with clamping means 42 at its upper end designed firmly to hold the horizontal leg 43 of a spring of hairpin type having a lower, substantially horizontal leg 44, which is so positioned as to bear frictionally against one side of the bottle neck or against the upper portion of the shoulder of the bottle as the bottle passes between these springs. It is not necessary that these springs be accurately adjusted, since their only function is to exert a frictional drag on the bottle; and it is found that, if the free ends of these two springs are so positioned as to be deflected horizontally approximately A; of an inch by contact with the bottle, this is sufficient to obtain the desired result. It is, of course, obvious that the spring pressure should not be sufficient to tip the bottle rearwardly.

In FIG. 10 there is indicated, in broken lines, a holddown device such as that more fully illustrated and described in the aforesaid application of Sidney T. Carter, Serial No. 551,012, filed December 5, 1955, for Labeling Machine, this hold-down device comprising an endless belt which moves at the linear velocity of the conveyor, one end of which passes about a sprocket wheel 45, the belt comprising a thick layer of resilient material and having its lower run 46 so positioned that it bears downwardly with resilient pressure against the tops of bottles as they advance toward the label-applying devices, thus maintaining the bottles in a position to which they have been adjusted by the spotting means of the present invention.

That portion of the helix indicated by the bracket I is of a constant pitch such, with relation to the speed of the conveyor C on which the bottles rest, that the conveyor tends to move the bottles into engagement with the forward wall of the groove of the helix, as indicated at K, K, for example, in FIG. 1. The delivery section of the helix, indicated by the bracket III, is likewise of constant pitch and such as to advance the bottles at the same linear speed as the conveyor; and the extreme terminal portion of the helix, within the part indicated by the bracket III, may, like the section I, have a thread of such shape that it does not confine the bottle, but provides some clearance between the bottle and the walls of the groove.

In the operation of the device and assuming that bottles are advanced into the field of action of the helices by the conveyor C, with successive bottles contacting each other, the first bottle to engage the helices will be advanced by the conveyor with its forward end contacting the forward wall of the groove of each of the helices, as indicated at K and K, FIG. 1.

As above pointed out, the delivery end portions of the two helices are eccentric relative to the axes of the shafts upon which the helices are mounted and the shafts are so arranged that, at the discharge end of the helices, the bottle is gripped firmly between the opposed helices during one-half revolution so as to provide the contact points T T T and T as shown in FIG. 1a, while during the other half of the revolution the bottle may turn slightly.

If it be assumed that the portions III (FIG. 1) of the helices are of constant pitch, and if it be assumed, for example, that the pitch is such as to move the bottle along a distance of six inches for each complete rotation of the helix, and if the eccentricity of each helix be oneeighth of an inch, then the bottle will be gripped, in properly oriented position, while travelling at distance of three inches and during this time is held under positive control by the two screws. This distance is represented by the space between the lines OO' and KK' of FIG. la. When the center of a bottle arrives at the line 0-0, the bottle is clamped at the four points, as above indicated, and continues to be clamped in position until the center of the bottle passes the line K-K'. During this por tion of the travel of the bottle, the hold-down H comes into contact with the top of the bottle. Since bottles vary in height and thickness, it is necessary to hold the bottle clamped in properly oriented position, as long as possible, While the hold-down comes into operative engagement with the bottle and before the bottle is released by the helices. If the bottle top is abnormally low, the first contact of the hold-down with the bottle may be nearer to the line KK than to the line OO'; whereas, if the bottle be abnormally tall, the hold-down will first contact the top of the bottle at a point nearer to the line OO than to the line K-K. If the bottle is over-sized transversely, the contact between the helices and the bottle may be initiated before the center of the bottle reaches spa ga e the line -0 and the bottle will be kept under compression until after the center passes the line KK The lines OO' and K-K represent positions of the center of the bottle as it travels, and not the points at which the bottle contacts the helices. When the first bottle, that is to say the bottle shown at the right of FIG. 1, is being held in clamped position between the helices, the following bottles are free to move relatively to the helices. It is manifest that if the shapes of the helices were such as to clamp bottles to the left of the first or right-hand bottle, the delivery ends of the helices would be forced apart so that they would not clamp the bottle shown at the right of FIG. 1. To make sure of this condition, the helices are so shaped that the root diameter of each helix is the same throughout the entire length of the screw; whereas the portion between the lines O---() and K-K' (FIG. 1a) is such as is shown in the latter view, where the bottle contacts at the points T T etc., but is spaced from the helix at the point I. Since the contact applied to the bottle at the points T T etc. is of a yielding nature, there is no danger of crushing the bottle; but, on the other hand, the walls of the grooves of approaching helices act as cams, during a half-revolution of the helices, to turn the bottle, if its major diameter is not accurately aligned with the center line of the conveyor path, so that, before the shafts begin to retreat from each other, the four-point contact has been attained and the major axis of the bottle has been placed accurately in alignment with the vertical plane of the center of the article path. This turning or spotting action takes place just before the bottle arrives at the position where its top is engaged by the hold-down H and, as the axes of the shafts retreat from each other during the next half-revolution, the bottle is free to advance, but is maintained in accurately oriented position by the holddown device.

By this arrangement, the spotting of a bottle of elliptical type is performed as the bottle is moved toward the labeling zone and without recourse to any means which, during the labeling operation, obscures or in any way interferes with the application of a label to any portion of the side surface of the bottle.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been disclosed by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined path past label-applying devices by a conveyor and wherein articles are delivered into said path in contacting relation, means for spacing the articles and for orienting them thereby accurately to align their major axes with the center line of said path before they enter the field of action of the label-applying devices, the article orienting means comprising rigid, helical elements located at opposite sides, respectively, of the article path, and which are operative to advance the articles along said path, the orienting elements being mounted upon rigid shafts which turn at the same angular velocity, bearings for the opposite ends of said shafts, the bearings being so arranged that the shafts may oscillate about those bearings which are nearer to the receiving ends of the orienting elements and have maximum movement toward and from the conveyor path at those ends which are more nearly adjacent to the delivery ends of the article orienting elements, and resilient means uring the delivery ends of the article orienting elements toward the vertical plane of the center line of the conveyor path.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the articleorienting helical elements turn in opposite directions and are of opposite pitch.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the width all 8 of the groove of each spacer element is such .as .to permit relative motion between the article and the wall of the groove, while the width of the groove of each articleorienting element is such that an article, advancing along that part of the path which is betwen the opposed articleorienting elements, is gripped between said elements and restrained from movement other than that imparted by said article-orienting elements.

4. A labeling machine according to claim 1, wherein the article-orienting helical elements are so shaped that, in cooperatively acting to turn an article, they make a four-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article, two of such points of contact being located at each side, respectively, of the vertical plane of the center line of the article path and at equidistances from said plane.

5. A labeling machine according to claim 4, including means operative to prevent the article from tipping forwardly in response to the pressure exerted by the helical elements as the article advances into the field of action of the hold-down means.

6. A labeling machine according to claim 5, wherein the means for preventing the article from tipping cornprises resilient elements disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of the article path and which are arranged to have frictional contact with the opposite sides, respectively, of the article at points above the center of height of the article.

7. A labeling machine according to claim 5, wherein the means for preventing the article from tipping comprises two stationary springs, one at each side of the article path, means adjustably supporting said springs whereby their relative positions may be varied, each spring having an elongate substantially horizontal article-contacting arm, said arms converging toward the article path with their free ends so disposed that in passing between them the article deflects said ends away from each other.

8. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a constantly moving conveyor, and wherein articles are de- :livered into said path in contacting relation and with the major axis of each article approximately parallel to the I path along which the articles move, means for spacing the articles, and hold-down means operative to prevent an article from turning unintentionally about its vertical axis while it is passing through the field of action of the labelapplying devices, in combination, camming means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, by contact with diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article, to turn it about its vertical axis, without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is accurately in line with the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and wherein the means for exerting the camming action upon the article for turning it about its vertical axis comprises two oppositely turning article-orienting helices of opposite pitch having their axes disposed at opposite sides of the article path, the groove of each helix having walls which make a two-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article while the helices continue to rotate, the helices terminating at such points as to deliver the accurately oriented articles to the hold-down device before the articles enter the field of action of the labelapplying devices.

9. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a constantly moving conveyor and wherein the articles are delivered into said path in contacting relation, means for spacing the articles, and hold-down means operative to prevent an article from turning unintentionally about its vertical axis while it is passing through the field of action of the label-applying devices, in combination, camming means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, by contact with diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article, to turn it about its vertical axis without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is in the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and wherein the means for exerting the camming action upon the article for turning it about its vertical axis comprises two oppositely turning, article'orienting helices of opposite pitch having their axes disposed at opposite sides of the article path, the groove of each helix having walls which make a two-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article while the helices continue to rotate, each helix having a supporting shaft one end portion, at least, of which is eccentric with reference to the axis of the helix proper, and a bearing in which said eccentric end portion turns, the eccentric portions of the two shafts being so relatively arranged that, as the shafts turn, the helices approach and recede from each other once during each rotation of the respective shaft.

10. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a constantly moving conveyor and wherein the articles are delivered into said path in contacting relation, means for spacing the articles, and hold-down means operative to prevent an article from turning unintentionally about its vertical axis while it is passing through the field of action of the label-applying devices, in combination, camming means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, by contact with diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article, to turn it about its vertical axis without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is in the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and wherein the means for exerting the camming action upon the article for turning it about its vertical axis comprises two oppositely turning, article-orienting helices of opposite pitch having their axes disposed at opposite sides of the article path, the groove of each helix having walls which make a two-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article while the helices continue to rotate, each helix having a supporting shaft one end portion, at least, of which is eccentric with reference to the axis of the helix proper, and a bearing in which said eccentric end portion turns, the eccentric portions of the two shafts being so relatively arranged that, as the shafts turn, the helices approach and recede from each other once during each rotation of the respective shaft, and wherein the hearing for the eccentric portion of each shaft is mounted in a carriage which is guided for movement in a horizontal path perpendicular to the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and resilient means urging each of said carriages toward said plane.

11. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a constantly moving conveyor and wherein the articles are delivered into said path in contacting relation, means for spacing the articles, and hold-down means operative to prevent an article from turning unintentionally about its vertical axis while it is passing through the field of action of the label-applying devices, in combination, camrning means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, by contact with diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article, to turn it about its vertical axis without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is in the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and wherein the means for exerting the camming action upon the article for turning it about its vertical axis comprises two oppositely turning, article-orienting helices of opposite pitch having their axes disposed at opposite sides of the article path, the groove of each helix having walls which make a two-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article while the helices continue to rotate, and wherein each helix is mounted upon a supporting shaft having a central portion of circular transverse section, each helix having an axial bore which receives the central portion of its respective shaft with a snug fit, the end portions of each shaft being eccentric relative to its central portion, bearings for the opposite ends of each shaft in which said eccentric portions turn, the hearing at one end of each shaft comprising a bushing which is taper-reamed from each end thereby providing a central part about which the shaft may oscillate, and the bearing for the opposite end of each shaft being mounted to move horizontally toward and from the article path.

12. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a constantly moving conveyor and wherein the articles are delivered into said path in contacting relation, means for spacing the articles, and hold-down means operative to prevent an article from turning unintentionally about its vertical axis while it is passing through the field of action of the label-applying devices, in combination, camming means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, by contact with dia metrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article, to turn it about its vertical axis without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is in the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and wherein the means for exerting the camming action upon the article for turning it about its vertical axis comprises two oppositely turning, article-orienting helices of opposite pitch having their axes disposed at opposite sides of the article path, the groove of each helix having walls which make a two-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article while the helices continue to rotate, and wherein each helix is mounted upon a supporting shaft having a central portion of circular transverse section, each helix having an axial bore which receives the central portion of its respective shaft with a snug fit, the end portions of each shaft being eccentric relative to its central portion, bearings for the opposite ends of each shaft in which said eccentric portions turn, the bearing at one end of each shaft comprising a bushing which is taper-reamed from each end thereby providing a central part about which the shaft may oscillate, and the bearing for the opposite end of each shaft being mounted to move toward and from the article path in a horizontal plane, and wherein the shafts are so adjusted relatively to each other that, as they rotate, the axes of the two shafts arrive at their nearest point of approach to the vertical plane of the center line of the article path at the same instant.

13. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a constantly moving conveyor and wherein the articles are delivered into said ath in contacting relation, mean for spacing the articles, and hold-down means operative to prevent an article fro-m turning unintentionally about its vertical axis while it is passing through the field of action of the label-applying devices, in combination, camming means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, by contact with diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article, to turn it about its vertical axis, without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is accurately in line with the vertical plane of the center line of the article path and wherein the means for exerting the camming action upon the article for turning it about its vertical axis comprises two oppositely turning article-orienting helices of opposite pitch having their axes disposed at opposite sides of the article path, the groove of each helix having walls which make a two-point contact with the peripheral surface of the article while the helices continue to rotate, and wherein each article-orienting helix is fixed upon a supporting shaft having a central portion of circular transverse section, each helix having an axial bore which receives the central portion of its respective shaft with a snug fit, the end portions of each shaft being eccentric relative to its central portion, bearing means for the opposite ends of each shaft in which said eccentric portions turn, the bearing means, at one end of each shaft, being operative to permit the shaft to oscillate about a point between its ends, and the bearing means for the opposite end of each shaft being mounted to move horizontally toward and from the article path, the walls of the grooves of the article-orienting helices being so shaped that, when the axes of the two shafts are at their nearest point of approach, said walls collectively make a four-point contact with the periphery of the article such that geometric lines, connecting the two points of contact of the article with each respective helix, are parallel to the longitudinal center line of the article path.

14. In a machine for labeling articles which .are substantially elliptical in transverse section, and wherein the articles to be labeled move along a predetermined rectilinear path, and wherein rotating article-orienting helices at opposite sides, respectively, of said path and with their axes parallel to said path, by engagement with the articles, advance them along said path, each helix, respectively, having a rigid shaft, drive means arranged to apply force to oneend of each respective shaft for turning said shaft, movable bearing means for the opposite ends of the respective shafts, and resilient means operative to urge said opposite ends of the shafts toward each other thereby to grip the article between the helices.

15. A machine for labeling articles according to claim 14, wherein the bearing means for the opposite ends of each respective shaft are operative to permit said shaft to oscillate about a point adjacent to that end to which the drive means is connected and the resilient means is operative to apply force to the opposite end of the shaft.

=16. In a machine for labeling articles which are substantially elliptical in transverse section and wherein the articles to be labeled are moved along a predetermined rectilinear article path past label-applying devices by a 12. constantly 'movingconveyor, and wherein articles are delivered into saidi ath in contacting relation, means for spacing articles, and hold-.downmeans operative to prevent such an article from turning. about 'its vertical axis while it is passing through thefield of action of the labelapplying devices, in combination, means operative, after an article has been spaced from the next following article, but before it is operatively engaged by the hold-down means, to exert a camming action at diametrically opposite portions of the peripheral surface of the article such as to turn it about its vertical axis without interrupting its forward advance, until its major axis is in the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, the means for exerting such camming action upon the peripheral surface of the article comprising two rigid helices whose axes are located at opposite sides, respectively, of the article path, said helices being of the same uniform pitch, means for turning them at the same angular velocity, movable supports for so supporting said helices, and means for causing the delivery portions of said helices to approach and to recede from the path along which articles are moved by the conveyor during each complete rotation.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each helix has a supporting shaft, one end portion at least of which is eccentric with reference to the axis of the helix proper, and a bearing in which said eccentric end portion of the shaft turns, the eccentric portions of the two shafts being so relatively arranged that as the shafts turn the helices approach and recede from each other once during each rotated of the respective shafts.

18. The combination according to claim 17, wherein the bearings for the eccentric portions of the respective shafts are mounted in carriages which are guided for movement in a horizontal path perpendicular to the vertical plane of the center line of the article path, and resilient means urgingeach of said carriages toward said plane.

19. The combination according to claim 18, wherein bearings are provided for those ends of the respective shafts which are 'remote from the delivery ends of the helices, each of said bearings being so designed as to permit the shaft to oscillate therein while the delivery end portions of the helices are moved back and forth toward each other in a horizontal plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,630,904 :Bozek Mar. 10, 1953 2,886,200 Thulke May 12, 1959 2,890,787 Carter June 16, 1959 2,911,089 Carter Nov. 3, 1959 

